HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS' PERCEPTIONS OF ASSISTANCE NEEDED IN ORDER TO DEVELOP MORE ADEQUATE PROGRAMS FOR EMPLOYMENT-BOUND YOUTH.

OLLENBURGER, ALVIN; WENRICH, RALPH C.

QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO PRINCIPALS OF LARGE HIGH SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN TO DETERMINE THE KINDS OF FEDERAL AND STATE ASSISTANCE THEY WOULD CONSIDER MOST HELPFUL IN DEVELOPING AND OPERATING SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BOUND YOUTH. RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED FROM 123, OR 98.4 PERCENT. QUESTIONS COVERED SIX AREAS OF ACTIVITY--(1) EXAMINING THE GOALS OF THE SCHOOL AND EVALUATING THE OFFERINGS AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYMENT-BOUND YOUTH, (2) ASSESSING THE NEEDS OF IN-SCHOOL AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH AND THE NEEDS OF EMPLOYERS, (3) DEVELOPING NEW PROGRAMS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUTH AND EMPLOYERS, (4) OPERATING SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO PREPARE IN-SCHOOL YOUTH FOR EMPLOYMENT, (5) OPERATING SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO PREPARE OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH FOR EMPLOYMENT, AND (6) PROVIDING MORE ADEQUATE VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE SERVICES FOR IN-SCHOOL AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH. THE AREAS OF ACTIVITY WERE PLACED IN RANK-ORDER BY THE PRINCIPALS AND AREA 2 AND AREA 4 WERE RANKED FIRST AND SECOND, RESPECTIVELY. A MAJORITY OF THE PRINCIPALS FELT THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE TIME TO GIVE LEADERSHIP TO THE PROGRAMS FOR EMPLOYMENT-BOUND YOUTH AND NEARLY THREE-FOURTHS FELT THEIR PROGRAMS COULD BE IMPROVED IF FUNDS WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE AN EXTRA ASSISTANT FOR THIS LEADERSHIP. TABLES OF PRINCIPALS' RESPONSES, THE QUESTIONNAIRE, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE INCLUDED. (PS)